Geranium plant named ‘KLEP01110’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Zonal Geranium plant named ‘KLEP01110’ characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching and flowering habit; early flowering habit; red purple-colored flowers arranged in rounded umbels held above the foliage on upright and strong peduncles; and good tolerance to rain and high temperatures.

BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION/CULTIVAR DESIGNATION

Pelargonium×hortorum cultivar ‘KLEP01110’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of ZonalGeranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium×hortorum, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘KLEP01110’.

The new Zonal Geranium is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Stuttgart, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program was to develop new Zonal Geraniums with uniform planthabit and interesting flower and foliage colors.

The new Zonal Geranium originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in 1997 of the Pelargonium×hortorum cultivar ‘Klecona’,disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/250,015, (nowabondoned) as the female, or seed, parent with the Pelargonium×hortorumcultivar. ‘Klecardi’, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. Thecultivar KLEP01110 was discovered and selected by the Inventor as aflowering plant within the progeny from this cross-pollination in acontrolled environment in Stuttgart, Germany, in June, 1998.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken in acontrolled environment in Stuttgart, Germany since 1999 has shown thatthe unique features of this new Zonal Geranium are stable and reproducedtrue to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘KLEP01110’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘KLEP01110’ as a new cultivar and distinguish itfrom other known Zonal Geranium cultivars:

1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.

2. Freely branching and flowering habit.

3. Early flowering habit.

4. Red purple-colored flowers arranged in rounded umbels held above thefoliage on upright and strong peduncles.

5. Good tolerance to rain and high temperatures.

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium are most similar to plants of thefemale parent, the cultivar Klecona. Plants of the new Zonal Geraniumdiffer from plants of the cultivar Klecona in the followingcharacteristics:

1. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium are larger and more vigorous thanplants of the cultivar Klecona.

2. Leaves of plants of the new Zonal Geranium do not have a zonationpattern whereas leaves of plants of the cultivar Klecona have a zonationpattern.

3. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have larger flowers than plants ofthe cultivar Klecona.

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium differ from plants of the male parent,the cultivar Klecardi, in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium are larger and more vigorous thanplants of the cultivar Klecardi.

2. Leaves of plants of the new Zonal Geranium do not have a zonationpattern whereas leaves of plants of the cultivar Klecardi have azonation pattern.

3. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium and the cultivar Klecona differ inflower coloration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Flower andfoliage colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the colorvalues cited in the detailed botanical description which accuratelydescribe the colors of the new Zonal Geranium. The photograph comprisesa side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘KLEP01110’grown in a 12-cm container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants of the cultivar KLEP01110 have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment, such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photograph, following observations, and averagedmeasurements describe plants that were planted in January in 12-cm potsin Stuttgart, Germany, and grown under commercial practice in aglass-covered greenhouse with day temperatures ranging from 18 to 22°C., night temperatures ranging from 14 to 16° C., and light levelsranging from 20,000 to 55,000 lux. The photograph and information forthe detailed botanical description were taken about 3.5 months afterplanting rooted young plants.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Pelargonium×hortorum cultivar KLEP01110.

Parentage:

Female Parent.—Pelargonium×hortorum cultivar Klecona, disclosed in U.S.Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/250,015 (now abandoned).

Male parent.—Pelargonium×hortorum cultivar Klecardi, not patented.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 10 days at 22° C. Winter: About 12days at 18 to 20° C.

Time to produce a rooted young plant.—Summer: About 16 days at 22° C.Winter: About 18 days at 18 to 20° C.

Root description.—Fine, freely branching, and white in color.

Plant description:

General appearance.—Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; denselyfoliated.

Growth and branching habit.—Moderately vigorous. Freely branching, aboutfour or five lateral branches develop without pinching, that is, removalof terminal apices.

Plant height (to top of flower umbels).—About 25 to 28 cm.

Plant height (to top of foliar plane).—About 17 to 21 cm.

Plant width.—About 24 to 27 cm.

Lateral branches.—Length: About 8 to 10 cm. Internode length: About 1.5to 2 cm. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 139C.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length: About 8 to12 cm. Width: About 8 to 11 cm. Shape: Rounded, reniform. Apex: Rounded.Base: Lobed, not overlapping. Margin: Crenate, lobed. Venation pattern:Palmate. Texture: Pubescent; rough. Color: Young and fully expandedfoliage, upper surface: 137A; no distinct zonation pattern. Young andfully expanded foliage, lower surface: 137C. Venation, upper surface:139C. Venation, lower surface: 139B. Petiole: Length: About 5 to 6 cm.Diameter: About 4 to 5 mm. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 139C.

Flower description:

Flower arrangement.—Red purple-colored flowers arranged in roundedhemispherical umbels arising from apical leaf axils. Umbels displayedabove the foliage on upright and strong peduncles. Flowers double inform, rounded and cup-shaped. Umbels persistent, flowers not persistent.Flowers not fragrant.

Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; at full flower, plants haveat least about 8 to 10 open and developing umbels with about 30 to 40flowers and flower buds per umbel.

Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In the garden,flowering is continuous from spring until fall.

Time to flower.—Early flowering; plants start flowering about 80 daysafter planting rooted young plants.

Flower longevity.—Flowers last about 6 to 12 days on the plant.

Umbel size.—Height: About 10 to 12 cm. Diameter: About 8 to 12 cm.

Flower size.—Diameter: About 5 to 6 cm. Depth (height): About 1.5 to 2cm.

Flower buds.—Length: About 1 to 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 6 to 8 mm.Shape: Elliptical. Color: 139C.

Petals.—Quantity per flower: About 6 to 7. Length: About 2.5 cm. Width:About 2 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin:Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, velvety. Color: Whenopening, upper surface: 57A. When opening, lower surface: 58B. Fullyopened, upper surface: 57B, towards base, 58C; color becoming closer to57A with development. Fully opened, lower surface: 58B, towards base,58C. Venation, upper and lower surfaces: 57A.

Petaloids.—Quantity per flower: None to about six. Length: About 3 to 10mm; irregular in size. Width: About 3 to 8 mm; irregular in size. Shape:Variable, irregular. Apex: Mostly rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin:Mostly entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, velvety.Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: 57B, towards base,58C; color does not fade with development. When opening and fullyopened, lower surface: 58B, towards base, 58C. Venation, upper and lowersurfaces: 57B.

Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five, arranged in a single whorl. Length:About 8 to 10 mm. Width: About 4 to 6 mm. Shape: Elliptical. Apex:Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent,velvety. Color, upper surface: 141C. Color, lower surface: 141D.

Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 15 to 18 cm. Diameter: About 5 to 6mm. Angle: Erect. Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent; rough. Color:139C.

Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About1.5 mm. Angle: Erect. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Pubescent;rough. Color: 139D overlain with 180C.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Anther quantity per flower: Five.Anther length: About 3 mm. Anther shape: Ovate. Anther color: 58C.Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: 35A. Gynoecium: Pistil quantityper flower: One. Pistil length: About 8 to 10 mm. Stigma shape:Five-parted, star-shaped. Stigma color: 58D. Style length: About 3 to 5mm. Style color: 58D. Ovary color: 149D.

Seed.—Length: About 3 to 6 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 to 2 mm. Shape:Ovoid. Color: Brownish.

Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have not beenobserved to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to ZonalGeraniums.

Weather tolerance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have been observedto tolerate rain, wind, and temperatures from about 8 to 32° C. and havegood garden performance.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Zonal Geranium plantnamed ‘KLEP01110’, as herein illustrated and described.